Taking the Initiative

Marriage can be both a challenge and a joy for any couple. But imagine the patience it must take when one hard-driving, goal-oriented professional meets another, they fall in love, get married and then must fit each other’s dreams of accomplishment and influence inside the boundaries of wedded bliss.

Not easy. Egos and ambition can certainly ruin a romance.

But for some Henderson couples, the quest for self-improvement and opportunity have actually helped strengthen their relationships. Six husband-wife teams have graduated from the Henderson Leadership Initiative, a local program designed to enhance participants’ leadership skills and network of colleagues and friends. None of the spouses were daring enough to go through the annual HLI classes at the same time, but each say the lessons they learned and satisfaction they feel in becoming HLI graduates, or “Fellows,” has helped enrich their married lives and grow their love and respect for their significant others. 

Leadership can be an intimidating topic for some people, but numerous opportunities are available for those willing to take the initiative. Community programs and projects would not be possible without leadership. There must be people in the community who are willing to share their visions, conduct research, and see projects completed before change can occur.

Henderson is a thriving community, and each year the graduating class of HLI adds to its leadership. Over 200 class members have graduated the HLI program, and for these six couples, the lessons learned and self-confidence gained has helped enrich not only their lives, but the lives of everyone around them.

PROJECTS

Several community projects have become a reality thanks to each HLI graduating class. Each project required hours of research, collecting and reviewing data, and analyzing statistics before planning could even begin. Teams had to effectively communicate development plans, manage projects, and create fundraising strategies. “The projects helped you immediately put into practice the techniques you’d learned for being a better leader and a better follower,” explains Brad Schneider, Henderson County Judge-Executive and Director of HLI. 

Brad’s wife, Kelly, was chosen for the very first class in 2007. Kelly, the CEO of Easter Seals Rehabilitation Center in Evansville, was looking for ways to get more involved in the community, and the idea of being in the first class was very appealing to her. Brad hadn’t been chosen for the first class, but he was determined to be chosen for the second class. 

Evan Dixon, Vice President, Commercial Loan Officer Quality Assurance Leader of Field and Main, was one of the youngest to be accepted in 2013. His group worked on conducting research and gathering data from surveys to determine what Henderson needed and wanted. Evan states, “We concluded Henderson really needed a vision plan and a few years later it had been developed.” 

Evan convinced his wife, Abby, to move here from Nashville a few years ago. Abby is the Executive Director of Henderson County Tourist Commission. She was completely committed to Henderson and was willing to do just about anything to be a part of the community. “Evan had talked about HLI, and I felt like there was this important club responsible for making good things happen; I just had to find a way to become a part of it,” Abby exclaimed. 

Abby was selected to participate in the 2017 class along with Molly Melvin. Molly’s group decided to do the Audubon Kids Zone (AKZ) Project. Molly recalls, “We went out and got the information. We tried to reach the mothers on the east end to help them get out of the financial cycle they were in. My husband, Anthony, and I both work at South Heights, so my competitive nature kicked in when Anthony had been asked to join HLI before me.”

There were three people in Abby’s group that worked on the Bike Share project. They will be installing bike racks around the community where residents and visitors can check out bikes with an app from their phone, then return it to one of the bike rack stations when they are done using them for the day. Abby adds, “What’s really cool is that the research gathered from the vision plan from Evan’s group in 2013 was able to be used to impact what we did in 2017.” 

Montez Wells, with Tecknor Color, and Anthony Melvin both became HLI Fellows in 2015. Anthony explained, “It was the first time an entire class had decided to work on the same project. There was a facilitator, but it was our ideas and our choice as a group to decide on what we did. Our class decided to lay the groundwork for future classes by initiating Compassion Henderson.” 

During Compassion Henderson, surveys were created, and research was conducted to determine what Henderson residents were compassionate about. Montez added, “There were about 12 different groups of compassion we discovered. The top ones I recall were transportation, environment, and education.” 

Montez’s wife, Phoneshia, was selected to join the 2016 class. Phoneshia is a professor at USI. Her class followed up with the services for the compassion groups. One of the compassion groups were statistics of kids who didn’t have beds to sleep in. As a result, her group decided to participate in a Build a Bed Project. Phoneshia stated, “We were able to build beds for those kids. We also took it a step further and created baskets that contained items kids would associate with bedtime such as books and blankets.” 

PERSONAL ACHIEVEMENTS

Many couples have gone through the program at different times, and it has impacted their lives not only professionally but personally. The program helps couples gain the confidence they need to reach new heights in their professional careers and helps them persevere and focus on what’s important. 

“The personal reflection and emphasis on improving those traits and habits that make good leaders is pretty unique, and the skills developed are as valuable at home as in the workplace. You learn when to lead and when to follow, and it can be very inspirational to have a spouse with the same goals along for the ride,” Brad explained.

Kelly added, “Taking the time to assess my strengths and weaknesses and understanding how to best use my leadership style was invaluable. Brad and I are very supportive of HLI and are invested in seeing it continue to thrive.”

Anthony thought HLI was great for building confidence and communication skills in those who want to become leaders, and he feels more comfortable being a leader as a result. Molly believed there was only one type of leadership before HLI, but now she realizes it takes a collaboration of different leadership skills to get things accomplished. Molly exclaimed, “Anthony and I communicate much better now and have truly discovered how to work together to be one great leader thanks to the training HLI provided.” 

Montez recalled, “I had struggled with public speaking before joining HLI, but the confidence and communication skills I gained during the class helped me overcome it.”

Abby realized everyone should stand up for what they believe in, and it is possible to do that in a courteous and professional way. “It’s crazy to think that our decisions and what we’re doing now will impact our kids and grandkids in the years to come. We must use our history as a driving force for the future,” Abby explains. 

NETWORKING

HLI provides resources and networking that can’t be found anywhere else. There are lawyers, teachers, accountants, principals, and just a very diverse group of leaders HLI fellows can contact for help and resources for the rest of their lives. The networking allows HLI fellows to truly serve Henderson at a different level. Evan stated, “I really just loved getting to interact with the leaders of Henderson and the founders of HLI who have done these things and have led the community for so many years.” 

Abby added, “It is so important for us to surround ourselves with other positive people who care about the community as much as we do. It will be interesting to see where HLI is 25 years from now when our kids join.”

Anthony and Molly didn’t know anyone outside of the school system and church, so HLI was able to provide them with other connections they wouldn’t have otherwise had. Molly stated, “It has definitely helped me become more involved with the community and even other AKZ projects.” 

BECOMING A FELLOW OF HLI

The application process for the 2019 class will begin this fall. Applicants can be any age and must either live or work in Henderson. The cost is $1,500 but scholarships are also available. It’s the perfect class for employers who want their employees to gain knowledge and skills in leadership. 

The HLI Founders and Fellows have formed a solid network with each other as a means of support, providing feedback, and brainstorming. They are helping non-profits, government, school programs, recreational programs, social service efforts, and more. For more information please contact Danielle Crafton, Executive Director of HLI, and visit their website at hendersonleadershipinitiative.org.  

Erika Henderson is a freelance writer and life-long resident of Henderson County. She’s a nature lover and enjoys cooking, baking, and growing her own food.